Died. Kieron died two wednesdays ago. He was just 48 years old...taken by some alien disease that touches nearly noone save an unlucky few.

To lessen the blow we use cliches about dying: "The agony is over...the suffering is gone...he's in a better place." Kieron agaonized over cliches. His better place was here...living, writing about here, experiencing here. Kieron was too young to die, and everyone knows it.

Life robbed Kieron. I looked at pictures of Kieron tonight and selfishly felt robbed of a precious life. Others and even I will reason out loud or think: what about the 42 years I was given of Kieron. But clarity prevails. He was too young.

Wednesday January 13th marks the day of forever mourning. For however rare Picks is the tragedy of a lost loved one is not. But the bite is no less, and tonite I curse the short stick he drew.

A celebration of life (another cliche)? Maybe...but tonite it's more of a scoff of life's cruelty.

JD Salinger died yesterday, two Wednesdays after Kieron. No irony except they were both writers who died on a Wednesday. Salinger was 91, published, world renown.

Kieron and I laughed together when we talked about Holden Caulfield.